LOTR: Legend of the White Owl
by Ravika
Summary: Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf are travelling to find soldiers to fight in the war. At Castle Callandin they find more than they bargained for....a fiery princess and a forgotten legend!
1. Default Chapter

Story Title: LOTR: Legend of the White Owl  
  
Premise: Takes place after LOTR Book2: The Two Towers and before the third book.  
  
Spoilers: LOTR, both the book and movie versions.  
  
Disclaimer: It's intended to be light romance and adventure. There may be some scenes of an adult nature. This story is in progress and may be edited at anytime.  
  
Credit: Tolkein owns the original story, all characters, places and languages etc. The plot is mine. Steal or post this without my permission and you are breaking the law. This story has been read and reviewed during creation and therefore undoubtedly my own. Any similarities between my own created characters are not intended and completely coincidental.  
  
Feedback: Please feel free to provide feedback and constructive criticism. However do not expect me to change an entire story because of a comment or two.  
  
Chapter 1: A Morning Walk  
  
Despite the light rain I took my morning walk along the battlements. As I turned along the east wall my gaze shifted to the shore where four figures were crouched around a small fire obviously waiting for low tide to reveal the causeway across to the castle. The reason Castle Callandin had long been regarded as impenetrable was because the only access to the castle was via the causeway, which was covered half the time by turbulent waters. When revealed at low tide it was long and treacherous allowing horses to only travel in single file. Even by boat the cliffs were too steep to climb and littered with broken ceramics and sharp objects so anyone silly enough to climb would be cut to pieces should they reach for the wrong rock pull themselves up or even the slightest slip could mean bleeding to death. Castle Callandin had never been taken by any enemy, orc included.  
  
The glare of the morning sun and the distance made it impossible to see whom it was waiting for the tide to fall. Was it friend or enemy? Either way a defence should be planned. I cracked my knuckles, a very unladylike habit, and rushed towards the guardhouse above the gate. The guards inside the little room jostled to make room for me under cover. Looking for the Sargent, my eyes adjusting to the gloom, I finally spotted him in the far corner. "Well Sargent why aren't the archers on the wall, why isn't the gate secured why has nothing been done, even you are not that old that your vision fails to notice our unannounced visitors."  
  
The Sargent attempted to speak but just ended up standing with his mouth gaping like a fish. I still don't understand why the soldiers fear me so. "We have seen them mistress." A voice said from beside me. I wheeled around to the man that was speaking "And who might you be?" "Well mistress my name is Sturgen, we have been watching the visitors for some time. There are two men, an elf and a dwarf. And unless my eyes deceive me, one of those men is none other than Gandolf the wizard." At the mention of the wizard's name there was a sharp intake of breath from all the soldiers. Obviously Gandolf's reputation had reached even the barrack in this far outpost. I turned to the Sargent. "And what would Gandolf the Grey want with the people of Callandin?" "Excuse me mistress," Sturgen interrupted "but it is Gandolf the White now." Now it was my turn to gape like a fish. "And how would you know that?" I enquired annoyed at being corrected. Sturgen grinned. "A little bird told me." Furious I spun to face the soldier again. "Dare you jest at my expense?" I challenged, hand on the hilt of my sword. I really wish people wouldn't play with me in the morning. I am not a morning person. The grin fell from Sturgen's face like a rock off a cliff "No miss, excuse me I meant no insult. It is just that a bird did tell us." Stepping aside he revealed a small white falcon sitting on the wall. Sturgen continued. "It is Gandolf's falcon, his message has already been sent to the King." I stared at Sturgen and was about to speak when a messenger from the keep cleared his throat from the stairwell. "Excuse me Sargent, the King has sent me to inform you that Gandolf and his companions are to be admitted and escorted directly to the King in his antechamber." With a huff I pushed past Sturgen and the messenger nearly knocking him backwards down the stairwell and raced down to the courtyard below. As I entered the drizzle of the courtyard I could still hear the soldiers above laughing. I gritted my teeth, furious with myself for being embarrassed. 


	2. Chapter 2 The King

Story Title: LOTR: Legend of the White Owl  
  
Premise: Takes place after LOTR Book2: The Two Towers and before the third book.  
  
Spoilers: LOTR, both the book and movie versions.  
  
Disclaimer: It's intended to be light romance and adventure. There may be some scenes of an adult nature. This story is in progress and may be edited at anytime.  
  
Credit: Tolkein owns the original story, all characters, places and languages etc. The plot is mine. Steal or post this without my permission and you are breaking the law. This story has been read and reviewed during creation and therefore undoubtedly my own. Any similarities between my own created characters are not intended and completely coincidental.  
  
Feedback: Please feel free to provide feedback and constructive criticism. However do not expect me to change an entire story because of a comment or two.  
  
Chapter 2: The King  
  
I bypassed the front door and entered through the kitchen at the side of the building through the garden. The kitchen hands looked up from their chopping startled as the door flung open. When they saw who it was they resumed their duties. Mrs Clay, the rotund cook wandered in from the pantry to see what the interruption was. "Miss Sheya what would you like for your breakfast this morning, I have some nice plump pork sausages just come in from the smoke house." She looked at me lowering her eyebrows in an attempt to get a better look at me "My goodness child you are dripping wet and as red as a beet. Are you ill? Should I call for the healer?" Mrs Clay had been the cook at the castle since I was a small child. It was Mrs Clay that I had run to for comfort with every small scrape and hurt as a child. It was Mrs Clay that ran the day to day life of the castle, there was not a single secret that she had not had whispered in her ear from someone looking for advice.  
  
I shook my head at her "No breakfast today, we have visitors" I watched her smile fade "and besides my dear Mrs Clay I am hardly a child any longer and I am wet from the rain and flushed from running to avoid getting even more soaked." I hugged Mrs Clay and started up the servant stairs "You should change before seeing your father." She called after me. She added. "And a lady you might be but I have kept a sticky bun for you." I stopped. Mrs Clay had always healed those scrapes and hurts with a cuddle and a deliciously syrupy sticky bun stuffed with sultanas and nuts. She knew she had me and I ran back down the stairs taking the sticky sweet bun and hugging Mrs Clay again. I grinned at her and raced back up the stairs. I knew that if I had of looked back I would have seen Mrs Clay standing at the bottom of the stairs, hands on hips shaking her head. I also knew that she would be smiling and thinking to herself 'You can make a princess out of a child, but you can never take the child out of a princess.' A favourite saying of hers that I had heard many times over the years.  
  
Stuffing the last bit of bun into my mouth I pushed through the door into the King's antechamber. He was seated with his back towards me reading what I assumed was the note from Gandolf. "Just place the tray on the table thank you." he murmured, engrossed in the note. "Father it's me." I exclaimed. He spun around to look at me, staring. "Sheya you are a lady now, you should be entering my chambers via the front door, not sneaking around the servant corridors." Like a good daughter I bowed my head. "Sorry father." I could almost feel him smile. I looked up at him. "Sorry Sheya. I am a little grumpy today, and how am I ever going to find you a husband with you running around like that?" It was my turn to be amused and I smiled at him. "DO not fret father, I don't need a husband." He grinned despite the many arguments we had had about this topic. "It seems that Gandolf the Wizard has come to visit, there will be a celebratory feast tonight. Do you think you and Mrs Clay can arrange it all at such short notice?" he enquired. "Of course father." I replied sitting down at his feet on the footstool.  
  
The king sighed. "I know you wish to be present to hear what Gandolf has to say, but in his note he mentions that he has with him an elf, a dwarf and Aragorn, true heir of Gondor." I rolled my eyes at my father knowing where this was headed "And young lady" he said to me sternly "you will not be seen until the feast where you can be introduced formally. I have arranged for the seamstress to make you a new gown. You are expected in her room before midmorning." He looked at my upraised eyes. Taking my chin in his hand and tilting my head to look into his eyes. "Please my dear, it is time now for you to be seen as lady of the castle and heir to Callandin. You are even more beautiful than your mother was. It is time for the world to see the lady that is hiding behind the child." I gulped at the mention of my mother who had died of the fever when I was 3. I sighed in resignation. "Of course father, I will stay out of sight until the feast and I will behave myself." He smiled and released my chin patting me on the head. "I swear Sheya you should have been a boy." I looked at him questioningly. He laughed. "At least then I would not have to scold you for showing up to my chambers in riding breeches and dirt smudged on your face. You don't need to inspect the stables and walk the walls every morning". I smiled and stood up, dropping a low curtsey as I turned to leave. My father grasped my arm and pulled me to him for a hug. He released me and pushed me towards the door a tear in his eye. As I closed the door behind me, startling the guard, I heard him muttering "Headstrong just like her mother." 


	3. Chapter 3 Dress Making

Story Title: LOTR: Legend of the White Owl  
  
Premise: Takes place after LOTR Book 2: The Two Towers and before the third book.  
  
Spoilers: LOTR, both the book and movie versions.  
  
Disclaimer: It's intended to be light romance and adventure. There may be some scenes of an adult nature. This story is in progress and may be edited at anytime.  
  
Credit: Tolkein owns the original story, all characters, places and languages etc. The plot is mine. Steal or post this without my permission and you are breaking the law. This story has been read and reviewed during creation and therefore undoubtedly my own. Any similarities between my own created characters are not intended and completely coincidental.  
  
Feedback: Please feel free to provide feedback and constructive criticism. However do not expect me to change an entire story because of your comment. Flaming comments are not welcome, if you cannot say anything constructive then don't say anything at all.  
  
Chapter 3: Dress Making  
  
I knocked on the door of the seamstress' room and was quickly ushered in. Manella was a beautiful young woman whose mother had been seamstress before she died early last year. Manella and I, because we were just 4 days difference in age, had grown up as playmates and were good friends. I sniffed audibly and Manella laughed. "Mrs Clay sent up some breakfast for us both and asked that you join her when we are finished to arrange the menu for this evening. She is currently running the kitchen boys ragged bringing in mead and ale from the store and digging fresh vegetables." I laughed and broke off a piece of the fresh baked steaming bread that was on the platter. True to form Mrs Clay had sent a huge spread for us both including, fresh bread, those pork sausages she had mentioned, boiled eggs, honey and a pitcher of lovely fresh milk. Manella snatched the bread from my hands as I took a second bite and shook her head. Strange, people have been doing that a lot to me lately. "Come now mistress let's take your measurement before you stuff yourself into a whale." I laughed at Manella. "Oh Manny I have missed our fun together!" I answered stepping up onto the stool Manella had in the middle of the room.  
  
Manella quickly took the measurements she needed and then we sat in the window eating breakfast and giggling over the plight of the current stable lad who had managed to gain the unwanted attention of my cousin Laylor and the attempts she had made to win him over. Before we realised the plate was empty and we were both yawning. "Come now." Manella startled me out of my daydream "Let's go and choose the material for this gown and then I had better get moving or you will wearing the gown still pinned together." Manella opened a large chest to reveal yards and yards of all different fabric. I sighed, I had never been much good at this girlie type stuff. Manella rolled her eyes and delved into the chest pulling out this and that and holding them up to check the colour against my complexion. "This is it!" she exclaimed with excitement, holding up a very pale green shimmering piece of velvet. "It brings out the green in your eyes, doesn't make you look any more pale than you already do and looks great with your hair." She said laying a segment of my dark red hair against the material. I looked down and nodded. "It will do." I mumbled before giving Manella a dig in the ribs "And don't you think I don't know when you are having a go at my hair, I know it is as red as blazes. You don't have to remind me. We can't all have raven locks like your own". Manella giggled and jabbed me back. "And we can't all be a princess either."  
  
I left the sewing room still laughing and almost bumped headfirst into one of the kitchen hands. "You are wanted in the kitchen." He said rather sternly. "Oh yes I am on my way." I replied "There are dishes that need taken down to the washroom right through that door." I hitched my dress and stalked off with an air of authority leaving the kitchen hand gaping in my wake. I knew it was the maid's duty to clear the dishes, but that would teach him for being so stern.  
  
I took the long way to the kitchen hoping to get a glimpse of our visitors as they entered through the front door and foyer. I was in luck, they were shaking off travelling cloaks in the foyer as pages rushed about to collect them and wet clothing to be hung up and dried. It wasn't really that I was interested in getting a glimpse of the real heir of Gondor it was because I wanted to see Gandolf, or so I told myself. I squinted slightly in the gloom of the landing to see the tall dark man who was obviously Aragorn. Handsome! I thought to myself. I might not need a husband but it could be fun to look. Before I could be spotted lingering I turned left and pushed open a serving door disappearing into the servant corridor. 


End file.
